1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an umbrella, and more particularly to an umbrella including a locking and releasing device or control device for suitably controlling the umbrella and for allowing the umbrella to be effectively actuated or operated by the users.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical umbrella facilities comprise a runner slidably engaged onto a central shaft for coupling to or for supporting the rib or stave assembly, and a spring-biased ball is disposed or engaged in the central shaft for selectively engaging with the runner and for temporarily or releasably securing the runner to the central shaft and thus for maintaining the rib or stave assembly and the canvas on an open working position.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,712 to Lin et al. discloses one of the typical catch-free safety umbrella facilities comprising a stationary hub disposed on top of a central shaft, and a runner slidably engaged onto the central shaft for coupling to or for supporting the rib or stave assembly, and a ball resiliently held in the lower portion of the central shaft for selectively engaging with the runner and for stably retracting the rib or stave assembly and the canvas at a folded condition.
However, the spring-biased ball may be easily engaged with the runner and may also be easily disengaged from the runner such that the rib or stave assembly and the canvas may be opened or folded inadvertently.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,483 to Tung discloses another typical umbrella comprising an automatic locking and releasing device and also comprising a runner slidably engaged onto a central shaft for coupling or supporting a rib or stave assembly, and a pivot lever engaged in the central shaft, and a locking bar slidably engaged in the central shaft for being actuated to selectively engage with the runner and for controlling the rib or stave assembly and the canvas either at a folded condition or an open condition.
However, the locking bar and an extension block which is secured to the locking bar are extended out the central shaft and may be actuated or operated by the users or the other objects inadvertently.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,950 to Tseng discloses a further typical umbrella also comprising a runner slidably engaged onto a central tube for coupling or supporting a whale bone device, and two catches slidably engaged in the central tube and biased or forced to moved out of the central tube to selectively engage with the runner and to control the whale bone device and the canvas either at a folded condition or an open condition, and a latch slidably engaged in the runner to selectively engage with the catches.
However, similarly, the knob of the latch will also be biased to move out of the runner and may thus be actuated or operated by the users or the other objects inadvertently.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional umbrella facilities.